Rooftop Rendezvous
by mercy4vr
Summary: DL of course. A postValentine’s fic. Some season 3 spoilers. A tension filled Lindsay has volunteered to work a double though Valentine’s.
1. No Guts, No Glory

**Disclaimer:** If I owned them, I would rent them out to the highest bidder and get really really rich. But since that isn't the case, don't sue me please.

**Summary:** D/L of course. A post-Valentine's fic. Some season 3 spoilers. A tension filled Lindsay volunteered to work a double though Valentine's.

**A/N:** Just another one of those fics that found my plot bunny, and then they teamed up against me till I started writing.

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_**Rooftop Rendezvous  
**__No Guts, No Glory_

Lindsay rubbed her hand across her forehead over tightly closed eyes, and let out a long, slow sigh. Last night had been Valentine's, and as usual, the holiday never ceased to bring forth some of the most depraved acts and crimes against supposed 'loved' ones. The added stress had the tension level in the lab running dangerously high. It was almost a physical object that could reach out and touch all those it encountered. Everyone could have used a break, a chance to come back up to the surface for air. Since, once again, she had no plans for the lovers' holiday she had offered to pull a double shift giving her coworkers the opportunity for a night off.

Allowing her hand to fall to rest on the desktop next to the open case file, she looked around the office, weariness making her appear older than her 28 years. Looking out the window, her forehead creased as she frowned, trying to recall a time in her life where moments had been more care free. Her gaze fell to the empty desk chair across from hers and some of the lines lifted from her face. She momentarily allowed herself to become lost in the recollection of time spent in this office waiting for test results.

"_Does it turn you on?"  
_"_Whoa, slow down there, Montana! What'd ya have in mind?"_

She shook her head slightly, rousing herself from her reminiscence. That was a dangerous road to travel as she could recall every nuance of those moments: every expression, every movement, every word, and every look. She also could remember every moment of a conversation in a hallway some months later. Those sights she wished she could erase: erase the confusion, erase the pain, and erase the hurt she'd caused him.

After receiving the call from the Bozeman prosecutor she knew she had to deal with the past first. Danny knew Lindsay was leaving. He didn't know when, or for how long, but he knew it was now inevitable. By this time she was certain that the water cooler news had given him the basics, but she had yet to give him her full explanation. As much as she wanted to, she just didn't know how to tell him. When she told Mac, she could present it as a case, with objectivity. With Danny… the emotions were already so close to the surface and he made her feel all emotion and sensation tenfold. In some circumstances that would be a definite blessing, but with the current situation it seemed to be her curse.

Pushing her chair away from the desk roughly, she stood up, suddenly too restless to just sit there, regardless of her tiredness. She walked briskly down the corridor, her heels clicking loudly in the largely deserted laboratory. Coming to halt just inside the break room, she gave a small smile to see the coffee maker was just finishing a brew cycle. A cup of freshly brewed coffee could always go a long way towards making the world seem a slightly better place. She pulled her mug from the drying rack, emblazoned on the side with the outline of a bronco riding cowboy, quite naturally a gag gift from Danny that Christmas past. Lindsay wondered if he realized it made her think of him each time she used it.

"_Make tracks, Cowboy."_

She added some cream and sugar to the mix in her mug, and then turned to rummage through the kitchenette drawer for some aspirin. With her sought after prize claimed, she grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and tipped back her head, swallowing two down. Mug in hand she made her way back down the hall towards their office, mentally centering herself so she would be able to concentrate fully on the pending investigation that waited on her desk.

As Lindsay entered her office, she stopped abruptly just inside the door frame, a look of confusion crossing her face. The case file was no longer on her desk. In fact there were no files on her desk any longer; the surface had been cleared with the sole exception of a lone envelope. The CSI in her automatically took over, instantly on alert. Her eyes sharply and scanned the office and the corridor behind her to see if anyone was lingering, hoping to find a clue as to what had occurred. They were both as deserted as they had been just moments before, not a soul in sight. Lindsay cautiously approached her desk, one small step at a time. She leaned over the desk to get a look at the envelope, instinctually resisting the impulse to pick up the envelope with her bare hands.

Scrawled across the front of the ivory envelope in a familiar messy handwriting was the nickname 'Montana'. Letting out a slightly irritated huff, she reached out and picked it up, turning it over in her small hands, scrutinizing the envelope. Eventually curiosity began to outweigh her irritation at whatever game he was playing. It was three in the morning, what on earth was Danny Messer doing in the lab on his night off?

Carefully breaking the seal on the back of the envelope, she pulled out a folded sheet of parchment style paper. She set the envelope down on the desk treating it with her usual careful manner. With a hand on each side, she gently unfolded the note. Her head inclined slightly as she began to read, and unconsciously she reached one hand up to brush a curl back behind her ear that had escaped the clip.

_Montana,_

_You work too hard. You are a kind and generous person who always put others before your own needs. That being said, it's time to put you first for a while. Meet me on the roof._

_- Danny_

She felt at once warmed yet wary of his words. She refolded the note, making it small enough to tuck deep into the pocket of her dark slacks for safe keeping. Taking one last visual survey of their office Lindsay retreated to the hallway, making her way towards the stairwell. As she ascended to the roof, it was as though a thousand thoughts ran through her head, but none stopped for more than a second or so. Her steps slowed as she neared the door to the rooftop, coming to a stop with one heeled boot resting on the last step up. "What am I doing?" She wondered, mind whirling. As she paused reconsidering her options, she could almost hear the voice of her older brother, a man of few words, imparting his words of wisdom to her before she accepted Mac's offer of the job in New York.

"_Linds, all it comes down to is this: no guts, no glory."_

Lindsay bit down on her lower lip for a moment and then whispered to herself "No guts, no glory," and opened the door.

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At the same time Lindsay was having her internal debate, Danny was pacing the roof pensively, head bowed with his fingertips steepled against his lips, almost as though in prayer. He imagined he was wearing a path on the roof clear through to the office below. Would she come? Would she accept his offer at face value? Would she walk away without taking any chances?

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**A/N2:** Did I mention that reviews feed my plot bunny? And a happy plot bunny means a productive plot bunny… 


	2. This Dance, This Fire

**Disclaimer:** If I owned them, I would rent them out to the highest bidder and get really really rich. But since that isn't the case, don't sue me please.

**A/N:** Okay, the outdoor patio heater that is mentioned is one of those fancy thingies. To see what I mean, visit my profile, I have link to a picture there. They are really cool looking, and work fairly well. I am taking liberties with the weather as well. In my story, picture the outdoor temperature as in the mid to lower 30's (Fahrenheit). In real life it's probably colder, but would you stand outside on a roof in the middle winter if it were colder? Well, wait, if it was with Danny Messer... nevermind.

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**Rooftop Rendezvous  
**_This Dance, This Fire_

Danny heard the creak of the roof door opening and he slowly turned towards it. It seemed that she had indeed come and damn it all if his heart didn't beat even faster as his Montana came into view.

Lindsay slowly pushed the heavy door open partway, cringing slightly as the hinges squealed their ungreased displeasure. As a cool breeze brushed by her, she sidestepped through the narrow opening being careful not to catch her green sweater on the rough door frame. Looking up at her surroundings, her mouth dropped open ever so slightly. It had been quite some time since she had been on the roof due to the cold winter weather, and it seemed to have undergone a transformation.

In the center of the roof there was a 20 foot are cleared of any lingering snow from the last flurry. There were four outdoor patio warmers set up at the perimeter of the clearing, proffering their heat as well as providing a faint glow of light. She could hear the opening strains of a slow country ballad drift towards her on the night air, one of her new favorites, Trent Willmon "On Again Tonight". She heard a scuffing noise from the far left corner, and she turned her head that way in time to see Daniel Messer emerge from the shadows.

Her breath hitched in her chest as she took in his rugged appearance. His short hair was mussed more than usual, almost as though he had been running his hands through it. She recalled he tended to do so when deep in thought working through a problem with a case. His chin bore more than just a five o'clock shadow, his light brown scruff giving him an almost classic bad-boy look. Her gaze swept downwards taking in how he stood with his arms crossed stretching his dark blue shirt across his biceps and chest, the first few buttons undone giving her a glimpse of his white tank top and the chain to his dog tags. He stood with his strong legs shoulder width apart, and his stance lent him an air of confidence he wasn't sure he felt. Lindsay's eyes returned to Danny's face taking in how his blue eyes had darkened upon her perusal. His arms dropped to his sides and he took two long paces forward, moving slowly so as not to startle her from her reverie. He lifted one arm and stretched his hand out palm up towards where Lindsay stood. He cleared his throat somewhat nervously, endearingly, and with his voice low asked softly "May I have this dance, Miss Monroe?"

"_Well hello, Miss Monroe. Wow, you look real nice. Were you at the mayor's party also?"_

The corners of her lips twitched slightly at his heavy Staten Island accent. She looked at the offered hand, but at this point there was no real decision to make. Lindsay's decision had been made when she pushed open the door to the roof those few moments ago. Her cheeks flushed pinkly and she stepped forward and gently placed her hand in his. Her small hand was quickly engulfed by his much larger and much warmer one. A small grin spread across his face, and his expression caused a warm sensation to radiate from her core.

He gently tugged her hand to bring her close to him, and then he paused looking at her hair thoughtfully. She tilted her head slightly regarding him with puzzlement. Lindsay had expected him to pull her in close to him for the dance. His gaze met hers, and he reached up with his free hand to release her honey brown curls from their clip. Danny tossed the clip to the side, his deep blue eyes never once breaking contact with her warm brown ones. He gave a slight nod when he considered that task complete, and then reached for her other hand, intertwining their fingers as he raised their now joined hands. He released his grip on her other hand so he could gently rest his hand upon her waist and pulled her close.

Their bodies brushed, sending jolts through the pair, stroking the fires that had been ignited at their first meeting. Had there ever been a time with this hadn't been brewing deep beneath the surface?

As Lindsay rested her head on his shoulder, her senses threatened to overwhelm her. The hand that rested on his shoulder gripped it lightly feeling the contours of his muscle beneath her fingers as it flexed in response to her touch. The smooth shirt under her chin felt crisp and smelled lightly of his laundry detergent. With her check nearly brushing his neck, she could smell his skin, a combination of cologne and the underlying scent which was uniquely him. It was a scent she could identify anywhere nowadays. She could tell if he had just recently left a room in the lab, or when he was standing behind her, over her shoulder.

"_Just take a deep breath. Don't let him know you're afraid because he can sense when you're nervous."  
_"_Tiger's tranquilized; I think I can handle it."  
_"_I was talkin' about Mac…"_

Danny rested his check rested against Lindsay's temple, warmed from the contact. He bent his head down and buried his nose in her curls, breathing her in deeply. A slight shudder rippled through his body with the sensations and his emotions, causing him to slide his hand across her back so he was holding her close with his forearm, and gripped her tighter, almost hugging her to him.

God, he wasn't sure what he had done right in his life to be holding her here in his arms tonight, but he knew he would do anything in his power to make this moment and this feeling last the rest of their lives. Lindsay was going to be leaving them, him, this Friday. He wanted her to be able to carry this with her when she went to Bozeman, so she would know that she was never alone in this; she would never carry a burden alone again. His eyes stung from fighting emotions the likes of which were new to him, and he looked upwards to the star filled sky in hopes of preventing tears from forming.

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**AN2:** Don't worry, it's not over just yet. If you aren't familiar with the Trent Willmon song "On Again Tonight" I highly recommend that you find it and listen to it asap, you can link to the video through my profile page. Oh yeah, and don't forget to feed the poor hungry plot bunny by clicking the review button, 'kay?


	3. Her Heart, His Soul

**Disclaimer:** If I owned them, I would rent them out to the highest bidder and get really really rich. But since that isn't the case, don't sue me please.

**A/N:** Well, this is it folks. The third and final chapter. I hope this chapter will give you a sense of both completion and beginning. I have to give a huge amount of credit to my shippy buddy, **Moriel21**, for being my support and sounding board on my fics. Without her encouragement and kind words, my fics would just sit unread in a little folder on my computer. Thanks,** Mo**, you're a true friend

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**Rooftop Rendezvous  
**_Her Heart, His Soul_

As Danny was thanking God for having given him the opportunity to hold his Montana, they stood encased within the arms of each other barely swaying to the music that was drifting over them. He never wanted this moment to end, but he knew that he had to be the one to end it if he was going to get a chance to pursue their new beginning. He relaxed his hold on her and cleared his throat, prompting her to look up at him curiously.

"Montana… I mean Lindsay," he started. Lindsay shook her head at him, smiling gently. His eyes lit up in amusement. Lindsay didn't need to be psychic to know Danny was thinking he _knew_ that she loved the nickname. Not to be distracted for long, Danny licked his lips and continued again, in a serious tone once more.

"Montana, I don't know all of what you're going through. And that's okay if ya aren't ready to give me all the details. I'm not gonna pressure you. But I do need to make sure ya realize that no matter what, **no matter what**, I am and will be here for you. Whatever you need, it's yours."

"_Just let me know if there is anything you need from me, okay?"_

Danny released a shaky breath and slid his hand over her hair, brushing it back behind her ear so none of her face was hidden from him and looked deep into her eyes.

"I know that you're leaving soon, and I know you'll be back but I also know it won't be the same without you. I want to do whatever I can to make things better for you; the last thing that I want to see is you hurting any more. What I am trying to say is, when you leave, I'll be supporting you all the way, even as I miss ya. When I've got you around, I feel complete. You fill a void in my heart that I didn't even know existed until the day I met you. You fill my life. Every where I turn, everything I see, brings you to mind."

Danny turned his face upwards to the heavens and appeared to drink in the evening as he fought to keep composed and finish what he needed to say. Breathing in deeply he looked back into her eyes and Lindsay was surprised to see the moisture gathered in his.

"Every time I look up at night, and I see the stars shining in the sky, I think of you. I think of you and the way your eyes light up when you laugh, when you've solved a problem," he hesitated briefly. "Or when you smile at me. Lindsay Monroe, **you are the stars in my night sky**."

"Danny," She said his name softly, her breath locked tight in her chest aside her pounding heart. Try as she may, in this moment she could not form any coherent words to let him know how much he meant to her, and how much his words filled her heart. Anything she had planned to say in response left her abruptly in the wake of emotion his words inspired. She slowly reached both hands up, trailing her fingertips to trace over the contours of his face. She settled her hands on either side of his face and lifted herself to her toes and gently brought her lips to his. There was no way she could have prepared herself for the all consuming fire that followed.

What began softly quickly flared to a searing blaze as the tensions of the past year and a half erupted between them. They lost track of any sense of time or location; the only thing that existed in the world at that moment was the heat generated by the two people on that rooftop.

The moment Lindsay let her lips touch his, she had made the decision to surrender all to him: her heart, her trust, and even her very soul because he had already given his to her. Danny felt the connection between them become realized, and thought that there could be nothing sweeter than the love of the woman he was tasting. He nearly lost all control when he felt, rather than heard, the moan that came from deep in her throat.

At this, he struggled to come back to the surface. There was nothing more that he wanted than to stay locked in this moment with Montana, but nothing would be solved by that. The outside world would not be sated until their combined demons had been fought and conquered. As they broke contact gasping for air, he once again wrapped his arms around her so she was as close to his heart as she could be. Lindsay could hear his pulse racing through the ear she had pressed to his neck. Over his shoulder she could see the starry night sky and had to blink furiously to hold back the tears that flooded her eyes. She tightened her grasp on Danny, causing the back of his shirt to bunch in her hands.

Danny felt her body shaking in his arms; whether from emotion or passion he wasn't certain. He pulled back slightly so he could see her face and was both stunned and warmed by the emotion her eyes held for him. He brushed the pad of his thumb gently over her cheekbone, wiping away the tear that had escaped. "I'll walk ya downstairs," he said.

He leaned down and gave her the gentlest of kisses, just a feather brushing of their lips. Lindsay smiled at him and intertwined her hands with his. The turned and began to walk back to the stairwell door with their hands still interlocked. Nothing had been settled yet, but they both knew everything had changed.

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Danny paced the lab agitatedly before winding up back in their office, running his hands through his already mussed hair yet again. He couldn't find his balance, and concentration was a goal he hadn't been able to meet in quite some time. It had been nearly a month since Lindsay had left and he had yet to hear from her. 

He threw his body into his desk chair, surprise registering only in his subconscious when it didn't break under his rough treatment. His heart knew everything had changed, but his mind was a devilish irritation, plaguing him with doubt. Maybe he had been too late to really have made a difference with her, or maybe he should have done more.

"_Don't tell me you know a little somthin' about football."  
_"_Is that so hard to believe?"  
_"_No, it's just dangerous. I might have to ask you to marry me."_

He was keeping his end of their unspoken agreement. Danny hadn't called her, text messaged her, or emailed her at all. As much as he wanted to know how she was doing under the weight of her burden and if she was all right, he was not going to pressure her. This ride was going to be at her pace. He rubbed the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses and thought to himself that her pace might just be the death of him if it didn't pick up soon.

He turned back to the case file on his desk and picked up a piece of paper off the top of the stack. Who could say how long he stared at that paper without seeing or reading anything it contained before his phone beeped, indicating a test message. Danny sighed and pulled it off his belt, wondering where he was being sent to process this time. He flipped the phone open and when he saw the message labeled by his address book as having come from "Montana" he felt as though his body had been jolted by a live electrical wire. He quickly went to press the OK button to read the message, but had to attempt it twice because he found his hands were suddenly shaking. He read the four words the screen displayed with his blue eyes as wide as they would go.

Just as a million thoughts had raced through Lindsay's mind when she was deciding to go up on that rooftop, they raced through Danny's as he grasped what those four words meant. He stared at the small screen for a few moments until a grin started to spread across his face. He was jolted once again when a memory broke to the surface, startling him from his trance.

"_I'm not going to give you anything if you don't get going. Make tracks, cowboy."_

Danny jumped out of the chair causing it to slam back into the wall, a noise which was surely heard three labs over. He peeled off his forgotten lab coat with one hand while he cradled his cell phone in the other. After unceremoniously dropping the bundled coat on the desktop, he made a beeline for the hallway. He navigated his way through the labs hoping to reach Mac's lab before the man was called out to a scene. It seemed they had a small matter of accrued vacation time to discuss.

Danny looked at his cell phone display again, wanting to see the message again to reassure himself that he had indeed read it correctly. Confirming his interpretation the message was there, simple yet clear.

"_MEET ME IN MONTANA."_

Everything had changed, and soon enough, things were going to be settled.

_finito_

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A/N2:** The"meet me in Montana" phrase was used by Audacity over on TalkCSI, and she has graciously allowed me to borrow it for my text message : D. 

**A/N3:** Ah, my plot bunny worked overtime to finish this one. I think he deserves a review, whaddya think?


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